Make Your Bedroom a Healthy Place

People with multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome (MCS) and sick building syndrome become ill when exposed to low levels of chemicals that are normally found in homes and other buildings. While most people don't experience obvious signs of illness when exposed to low levels of toxins, their health may still be affected. Your home may be making you sick or increasing your chances of developing cancer. Traditional paints, flooring and furniture release toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air you breathe and bedding is produced from fibers grown with harmful pesticides. VOCs and pesticides can cause cancer, respiratory problems and neurological problems. Eliminating these toxins from your home can benefit your health. Your bedroom is the best place to start, since you spend such a large amount of your time there.

Wall Paint

Paint your walls with non-toxic, zero volatile organic compound (VOC) paint. Traditional wall paints, containing VOCs, release highly toxic gases into the air that are known or suspected carcinogens, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Zero VOC wall paints are available in a wide variety of colors and are sold online and at many home improvement stores.

Mattress

Purchase an eco-friendly mattress so you can breathe easily at night. National Geographic's Green Guide says traditional mattresses are commonly made of polyester, nylon and polyurethane (PU) foam, and box springs often contain plywood. These materials release cancer-causing VOCs into the air. Certified organic cotton or wool mattresses and box springs made from real wood may be better for your health and the environment.

Bedding

Buy certified organic cotton bed sheets, pillow cases and comforters. Non-organic cotton contains pesticides that are harmful to the environment and your health. Since you spend an average of eight hours a night under your bed sheets, it is a good idea to sleep with non-toxic bedding.

The United States Geological Survey estimates that on commercial farms "7 kilograms per hectare of herbicide and 5 kilograms per hectare of insecticide" is applied to cotton. The herbicides and insecticides run off the farms and contaminate nearby water supplies. Pesticides designed to kill the insects that attack cotton crops are harmful to humans, particularly children. Exposure to pesticides causes detrimental affects on the human neurological system and immune system, and has been linked to degenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, according to adjunct professor Philippe Grandjean at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Flooring

Traditional laminate and composite wood flooring is another common source of VOCs. Non-toxic, low and zero VOC laminate and composite wood flooring are available now in many home improvement stores. Low and zero VOC flooring products are labeled with a E1 or E0 certification stamp, or if in California, a CARB stamp.

Other eco-friendly and healthy flooring options include, clay tiles and cork flooring.

Filter Your Air with Plants

Use houseplants to filter and remove toxins from the air. Boston Ferns and Dracaenas are two types of plants known to remove household toxins from the air. Visit Denver Plants for a list of the top ten plants that reduce household toxins.

Learn More About How Pesticides Are Harmful to Your Health

Effects of the Pesticides Used in the EU and US on the Human Brain

References

Merck: MCS
Environmental Protection Agency: An Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
National Geographic's Green Guide: Mattress Buying Guide
United States Geological Survey: Cotton Agriculture -- Southern United States
Harvard School of Public Health: Professor Philippe Grandjean